Chapter 20

“If it really doesn’t work, let’s just sell it for a lower price,” Qin Feng said.

The man on the other side sighed. “Yes, it’s no good keeping it until next year.”

As they were speaking, the surrounding crowd suddenly became noisy.

It was the fur trader arriving.

Once the fur trader showed up, everyone started shouting, each trying to get his attention.

“Li Er Ye, take a look at our furs, they’re really good.”

“Li Er Ye, look at mine, we have all colors: white, gray, black, and more!”

“Here, here, here! Li Er Ye, take a look at this fire fox pelt I got the other day, the red color is so rare and precious!”

As everyone kept calling out to Li Er Ye, Taohua couldn’t help but peek her head out to watch the commotion.

“Brother Qin, is that the fur trader? Is he the one you’ve been selling your furs to every year?”

“Yeah, he’s the only one who buys in the town. He used to come personally to select the furs, but today, it seems like he’s not even bothering to look. Looks like he really doesn’t plan to buy anything.”

“Ah?” Taohua sighed inwardly, thinking her luck today wasn’t very good.

Meanwhile, Li Er Ye had already been surrounded by the crowd.

Everyone was begging him to buy their furs.

Li Er Ye, feeling overwhelmed by the noise, had no choice but to shout, “Everyone, everyone! It’s not that I don’t want to buy, but I really can’t take so much anymore.

Just look at how much everyone has brought today!

Usually, I ask you all for good furs, but you keep hiding them. You don’t give them to me, so of course, I have to find other places to buy them.

Now that I can’t take any more, don’t say that I’m being unfair. Alright, this year, I’ll take one last good one, okay?”

“You’re only taking one?” The crowd was upset. “There are so many of us. How can you only take one?”

“Why can’t I? If I don’t want to take yours, are you going to steal my money bag? I don’t owe anyone anything, right?”

“Then take mine, my furs are the best!”

“Dabao’s aren’t good, mine are the best!”

“Don’t even start, mine are the best!”

“My furs are the best!!!”

In no time, the crowd began to argue.

Li Er Ye, with a headache from the noise, quickly raised his voice and said, “No one argue, no one fight, we’ll draw lots to decide! That’s how we’ll do it!!!”

The crowd was still dissatisfied.

Li Er Ye’s assistant suddenly exploded: “Didn’t my master say it? We’re drawing lots! What’s there to complain about? We don’t owe you anything!

If you want to sell, then sell; if not, then forget it! In my opinion, my master shouldn’t have agreed to your request at all. He should have just refused to take anything!”

“Hey, how can you talk like that, Fuguai? Usually, we rely on everyone here. Even if the deal doesn’t go through, the relationship still matters. I said I’d take one more, so I’ll take one, no matter the quality. Everything will be accepted!”

With this back-and-forth, the crowd was soon convinced.

Immediately, someone began clapping in approval.

Li Er Ye then instructed his assistant to take out an empty money pouch, and then he reached onto the donkey’s back and pulled out a handful of green beans.

“Come, come, let me see how many people want to sell their furs today. I’ll count the beans based on how many people are here. For every person, I’ll drop a bean into the pouch.”

Afterward, Li Er Ye pulled out a red bean from another pocket on the donkey’s back.

He continued, “Whoever picks the red bean, I’ll buy their furs, no matter what kind of fur it is!”

Someone immediately asked, “Li Er Ye, I’m here with my father. Can we both take a turn?”

“I’ve brought my two children with me. Can they each have a turn too?”

“Sure, I’ve already said it’s by headcount. Fuguai, go count how many people there are so I can count the beans.”

“Got it, master!”

…

Taohua had never seen a business deal done like this before, and she found it very interesting.

She stood beside Qin Feng and quietly tugged at his sleeve.

“Brother Qin, can I also pick a bean later?”

“Of course,” Qin Feng agreed, then comforted her in advance. “Even if you don’t pick the red bean, it’s fine.”

Taohua secretly rubbed her hands together. “But you never know!”

She believed that if Qin Feng truly brought her good luck, she was sure to pick the red bean today!

Soon, the assistant had finished counting the heads, and there were actually twenty-one people in total.

But there were only eight households in total coming to sell furs that day.

When the big-bearded man heard this, he immediately sighed:

“Ah, originally there were only eight households. If one person from each family drew, I might have had a chance. But look at the family across from us, they have five people, old and young. Won’t they have an advantage?

I should have come with someone else. But these are the rules they set, and we can’t do anything about it. If he doesn’t take any, then we can’t force him. At least this year, one less family will go hungry.

Sigh, and we’re so far back in line, it looks like we won’t get a chance!”

Qin Feng listened and calmly reassured him, “Well, you never know. It’s all down to luck.”